Historic & Eco Friendly Riverside Cottage
- Riverside / Waterfront
- Village / Rural
- Garden
- Tennis Court
- Baby Equipment
- Internet Access
- Log Fire
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Golf nearby
- Horse Riding
- Tennis
- Walking
- Child Friendly
- Ideal for honeymoons
An historic cottage - once a cobblers and a pub - at an ancient crossing over the River Tees, Boot and Shoe Cottage near Barnard Castle in Yorkshire provides the perfect holiday. Relax and watch the river flow by, the kingfisher dart across the water and an occasional otter come to say hello. Or return from a day out and cosy up with a roaring log fire. And walk to the local Michelin recommended pub for dinner or through the woods to the private tennis court!
If you are looking for a quiet get-away-from-it-all weekend for 2 or a longer family stay in some of England's most beautiful surroundings, close to Barnard Castle, Durham and the Yorkshire dales, then Boot and Shoe Cottage is just the place for you. Have a read of this guest blog post, written by a 2021 visitor to the cottage, which gives you a wonderful feel of the place, the river and the surroundings.
We offer a warm welcome with a log fires and home baking - a true home-from-home. The cottage, once a cobblers and pub, has now been restored to a high standard with original wall cupboards, beams and fireplaces retained, in addition to all "mod cons" and solar panels. The date stone on the now internal stained glass window is 1761. The cottage is near the hamlet of Wycliffe, the birthplace of John Wycliff, and close to Barnard Castle. The middle of a terrace of three at the end of a private road, the cottage is well furnished with country antiques and paintings and photographs of local landmarks adorn the walls. We are eco-friendly, having solar panels for water heating, a wind turbine for electricity supply and a general "green" ethos in all we do. There is an EV charger for guests with electric vehicles.
Wycliffe is 6 miles from Barnard Castle in the heart of Teesdale, one of England's least spoilt and most beautiful areas. Teesdale is part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with many small villages and white-washed farms, and is home to the John and Josephine Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, High Force - England's highest waterfall and the medieval stronghold of Raby Castle with its deer park. The area offers opportunities for many outdoor activities, including walking with the Teesdale and Pennine Ways, cycling in Hamsterley Forest, golfing, bird watching and riding. Rods on the River Tees can be rented, either by the day or weekly, to take advantage of the excellent trout fishing available with Boot and Shoe Cottage. The Yorkshire Dales and Durham are close by and further afield are York, Newcastle and the Lake District.
Getting There:
Only 10 miles from Scotch Corner and 2 miles from the A66.
Nearest Train Station:
Darlington 12 miles
Nearest Restaurant:
A 10 minute walk
Nearest Shop:
Farm shop miles
Nearest Market:
Barnard Castle - 6 miles
Car Hire:
Optional
Interior Details
Relax in the atmospheric sitting room, with its wood burning stove and comfy sofas and view over the front garden and fields. There are masses of books and games, videos and DVDs, maps and information on the local area. The fully equipped kitchen / dining room has a wood burning stove and French windows opening on to the back garden - enjoy your meals while watching the River Tees flow by. Upstairs are two bedrooms - a large double bedroom with ancient oak headboard, and an attic-style bedroom with one standard and one small (2' 6") single beds. Both rooms are comfortably furnished with cotton bedlinen and feather and down bedding (synthetic available). There is a downstairs toilet and shower next to the utility room and an upstairs bathroom. There is also the option to include an extra twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom on a nightly or weekly basis.
Exterior Details
Outside, the River Tees (private trout fishing available) with kingfishers, duck, geese and trout is accessible by steps down from the back garden; the front garden gives on to fields with horses, sheep and rabbits. A short walk through the wood brings you to our all weather tennis court. Wycliffe nestles beside a particulary lovely stretch of the south bank of the River Tees and is home to a 13th century church and the public footpath connects with the Teesdale Way at Whorlton Bridge - a 19th century suspension bridge. There is an EV charger for guests with electric vehicles.
Further Details
There are several excellent pubs nearby, with The Oak Tree (a 5 minute drive) featuring in the Michelin "Eating out in Pubs Guide 2010" and recently re-awarded the "Bib Gourmand". Barnard Castle has a wide selection of local shops, including several specialising in antiques and a burgeoning art community, a weekly market, a monthly farmers' market, banks and post office and the Bowes Museum. The nearest farm shop is about 2 miles away. Barnard Castle is connected by bus to Darlington(train station), Durham and Richmond. There are also buses serving upper Teesdale and the north Pennines. The nearest bus stop is a 10 minute walk. The cottage provides the perfect location for a relaxing self-catering holiday in peaceful and scenic surroundings. We are proud of our eco credentials - solar panels and sheep's wool insulation, pesticide free vegetables and free range hens - and encourage our guests to recycle and protect this beautiful environment too.
Conditions of Rental
Sorry, no pets and no smoking. Short breaks available. Usual changeover day is Saturday. All rates are inclusive of: electricity, logs for the stoves, bed-linen, towels and welcome hamper of home-baking and groceries. We also offer a frozen meal service. Fresh vegetables and fruit from our garden and eggs from the children's hens are also available.
